Chapter 6
"Is this bothering you?" asked Tooya raising his head from Yumi's chest to look at her.
"Not at all. Were...were you thinking about Aya?"
"Yes, I was. But I just can't. Nothing comes to me but pain!"
Yumi wants to help this man, but there's nothing she can do for him. Seeing Tooya suddenly so depressed she changed the subject. "Ne, I'm getting hungry, aren't you? I can't cook well but not much people get to see me cook, that's for sure! Why don't I make some sushis, so we can eat together?" asked Yumi brightly getting up from her sitting position.
"Yumi-chan, do you mind me calling you that?"
"No, not at all." blushed Yumi.
"Yumi-chan..." continued Tooya, "Thank you."
Yumi smiled back at Tooya. Tooya is a man with very little words, but that 'thank you' was so sincere that it warms Yumi's heart to hear it. 'I wish we can be together like this forever.' The wish echoed in Yumi's mind for a while until she heard the rattle of keys at the door. Yumi looked at her watch realizing that it is 6:30 pm already. Mina walked in finding Tooya sitting next to Yumi who is looking at Mina nervously.
Mina covered her mouth and gasped. "You two haven't been..."
"Of course not!" yelled Yumi giving Mina a glare. And immediately changing the subject to make sure Mina won't say more. "Well, guess what? The master Chef is making sushis today!"
"The master Chef?" questioned Mina. Yumi pointed at herself with a grin. "You're kidding right?"
"I'm going to be making them! What's that look on your face? Well, who cares, as long as I have the confidence." said Yumi with determination.
"Oh please, help me! I don't know if I can trust you even if you have confidence." laughed Mina. "Remember the last time you cooked? Everyone nearly spit fire!"
"Hmph! Okay, I admit, last time there was too much spice in the udon, but this time its sushis. Its simple! Rice, cut the material, roll it all up and cut it evenly."
"Forget it. I will go out and eat. I've got some friends I am going to meet today, so I mind as well eat outside. You two have a great dinner! Ja..." said Mina not waiting for any good-byes and raced out the door.
"Erg..." said Yumi frowning at the way Mina reacted. "Tooya?" blinked Yumi with hopeful eyes.
"It's okay...I'm sure your cooking is fine?" said Tooya with a gulp.
"It will be, you'll see."
Yumi got started. She took out some leftover rice, some eggs, fish, crab meat, and sashimi. She layed it out nicely on the rice, added some spices, and rolled it up. After she cut it into equal pieces, she put them in a plate and went to Tooya, who was sitting on the couch.
"It's done!" smiled Yumi handing Tooya the plate. "Give it a try and tell me how it is."
Tooya took a piece and stuffed it into his mouth, giving it a few chews nervously. Yumi looked at him intently waiting for a reply on how the sushi turned out.
"Um...Oishii." answered Tooya to Yumi's curious eyes.
"Yata! You know what? None of my food making skills ever worked, and Mina didn't lie to you. But it is actually good?" asked Yumi eating one herself. "Sugoi! It is! What ever changed my skills anyways?" asked Yumi with a answer already forming in her mind. 'Because it was for you Tooya. I made this for you.'
"Perhaps it is because Mina didn't think you'd make it? That tempted you to show her you could." guessed Tooya.
'No no! It is because of you Tooya!' answered Yumi in her head but said, "Maybe."
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Assam looked up a tall apartment building in his private car. What caught his attention was the soft glowing light from a window of a specific room.
"Yumi Kinomoto..." said Assam still looking at the same window with a girl accompanying him.
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The phone rang, and Yumi ran to pick it up. With soapy hands from just finishing the dishes she asked. "Hello?"
"Hello Yumi Kinomoto." said Assam with a laugh.
Yumi recognized the voice right away. "Assam! What...what do you want?" asked Yumi.
"Guess your memory isn't fading. I have a guest here that is dying to talk to you." Assam put his phone up to the girl he held hostage, it was Mina Kyoko.
"Ah...help...somebody...mhph.." yelled Mina frantically whose mouth is now stuffed with stiff cloth again.
"Mina-chan? Mina-chan!!!! What have you done with her? Don't you dare-" started Yumi.
"Don't I dare what? This is not a time for you to make threats, it does no good for your friend here. She is your friend right? If you want to see her again, it's very simple. I won't harm her if you agree to a deal. Tomorrow at 7:30 pm, meet me infront of your appartment and a car will pick you up. Make sure Tooya is not around, for the safety of your friend-"
"Hello? hello?" yelled Yumi at the buzzing phone. Yumi's knees started to shake, and she fell to the ground crying. She was startled by the sudden voice.
"What's wrong?" asked Tooya.
"Huh? Tooya..." Yumi was going to tell him everything until a voice echoed in her head, 'Make sure Tooya is not around, for the safety of your friend-'. "Nothing at all. I was just so touched. Mina-chan just phoned and she told me to cheer up, and that she would be staying at a friend's house today. This just made me think that I'm not standing on this earth alone..."
"Silly you."
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The sun shinning through the window woke Yumi up. 'What time is it?' asked Yumi in her mind looking at her watching, trying to make out the time. '1:00 pm...What? I slept this late?' She looked around. The guest room looked the same as before. The light pink wallpaper, the gentle carpet, the white fluffy bed she was lying on, and her clothing that were everywhere.
"Yumi-chan, don't you think it is time to wake up?" asked Tooya outside the door.
"Mm..yeah...it is time." said Yumi wearily, pushing herself off the bed. 'The car will pick you up at 7:30 pm...' The words flashed across Yumi's mind as she jumped up with a start. "Mina-chan..." Yumi quickly got dress in casual jeans and a white t-shirt. After she got dressed, she just sat on her bed wondering how will Tooya not find out? The plan started to form in her mind, when suddenly she heard Tooya's voice again.
"Yumi-chan, I am going to leave today. I will check back on you tomorrow okay?" asked Tooya to the white door, until it suddenly swinged open, and Yumi walked out.
"You're leaving?"
"Yes, I need to try understand why I can't remember, so I think I should walk around and freshen up my head."
"Em...good luck!" mumurred Yumi, because part of her now is happy that she didn't even have to use a plan to lead Tooya away. Though the other part of her feels bad, and don't want to let Tooya go.
"I will need it. Ja Yumi-chan." said Tooya and left.
Yumi looked at the door with a long pause, then tried to entertain herself with other activities. Like counting how many fishes are in the fish bowl, and how much pottery Mina owned. She soon gave up trying to ignore the silence, and let the emptiness take over. The day passed by quicker than Yumi would have expected, because the next time she checked her watch it was 7:25 pm.
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